The present disclosure relates to the field of solar energy and to canopy and solar technology. Canopies have historically been utilized to provide shade for an area, and certain canopies have been fitted with various means of generating electrical power. For example, traditional forms of solar concentrators are based on flat or parabolic mirrors. Concentrated sunlight may be focused onto a receiving tower; thermal energy from the concentrated sunlight drives a turbine and generates electricity. In contrast, a typical parabolic trough CSP system uses a linear parabolic reflector to concentrate the sunlight onto a receiver positioned along the trough's focal line. The receiver is a tube (often called a Dewar tube) filled with fluid which, when heated, can similarly be used to drive a turbine and generate electricity. A tracking system may be used on the parabolic trough to ensure that it maximizes solar receipt during daylight as it tracks the sun along a single axis. Traditional technologies motorize the structure in order to ensure that the solar mirrors track the sun's path across the sky and concentrate the maximum amount of solar radiation on a central solar receiving tower or on a central pipe. In these conventional systems, a need to constantly adapt to the sun's moving path across the sky may be met through the employment of a highly mechanized, energy intensive motorized system.
Certain canopies are not as efficient as possible in terms of electrical power conversion and do not address other issues such as dust and dirt collection on reflecting surfaces, and/or liberating heat at night that concentrates in or under the canopy during the day.